


The Love Is In The Writing

by StarSparkle2403



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Sarah Rogers, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Meetings, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2019-09-28 09:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17180381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSparkle2403/pseuds/StarSparkle2403
Summary: Handwriting is as unique as a fingerprint, and no two conversations are identical, so the words that appear on a person's body are just as unique as the person who will say them sometime in the future.But just how long in the future will that be?And what happens when you don't know what words to choose, or your heart gets broken every time someone says the words, and they're not the person you've been waiting for?





	1. First Words and Tears

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know. I shouldn't be starting another story when I haven't finished four other ones.
> 
> But I actually have a lot of this already written.
> 
> Plus, I just can't resist.
> 
> (You can also find this story on my Tumblr marvel-girl03. However, there will be major changes from that version of the story.)

“Mama, Mama! Look!” A young Tony Stark ran into the kitchen, where his parents were sitting at the table, Howard reading the news and Maria enjoying her coffee. “I got my words!” 

Both parents were slightly shocked, because Tony was only six years old, and, normally, the words appeared around your tenth birthday. 

Tony held his arm out to Maria, who slid off her chair and knelt down in front of him, smiling brightly. Maria gently grasped his arm to see the words that had scrawled themselves on his inner elbow, her husband coming around the table to see as well. 

“That’s great sweetheart!” She said. “Let me see- oh, honey.” She looked up at her son’s excited face sadly. Her husband looked over her shoulder, eyes bright, before his face fell.

Maria met Howard’s eyes. Tony would have a hard time ahead of him. Howard knew from experience. The same thing was written across his shoulder.

Tony smiled and ran his finger across the black writing on the inside of his elbow. He didn’t realize that he would come to publicly hate those words, only to cry over them in privacy.

What did it say? Well, in beautiful cursive it said, **“Mr. Stark.”**

{+}

Tony didn’t cry at all when his father died.

He didn’t cry when Jarvis died. (Well, not in public.)

He didn’t cry when he got the call that his mother had been in a car accident. (Not until he hung up at least.)

But, every time someone said those stupid words to him as a greeting, he had to excuse himself so he could quietly cry in the bathroom and curse the universe for giving him such generic words.


	2. Excitement and Hidden Words

“Bucky! Look!” Steve ran up to his best friend, bursting with energy. Bucky turned, hand already reaching for the pocket he kept Steve’s extra inhaler in. “I got my words!” continued Steve excitedly.

“Really? Good for you!” Bucky was genuinely happy for his friend. He himself had gotten his words the year before. They ran up his side in a single line. **“So, you’re the famous Bucky Barnes. Steve’s told me about you. It’s an honor,”** it said. 

Steve, of course, had been excited when Bucky had shown him. (It had also sent him into an asthma attack.) He was happy that he would get to meet Bucky’s soulmate before Bucky did.

“Make sure to talk me up, alright?” Bucky had told him.

“Sure,” Steve had replied. “I’ll also tell them about that one time Becca put gum in your hair and you refused to let it be cut out.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

A thoughtful look had crossed Steve’s face. “How long did you walk around with that gum in your hair? Two, three weeks?”

The downside of his words was that now Steve talked to everyone about how amazing his Bucky was, and it had gotten him in trouble for bothering people. Especially people who used their fists to solve their problems.

“What does it say, Stevie?” Bucky asked, grinning down at his shrimp of a best friend.

“See for yourself,” Steve replied. He pulled up his shirt slightly, and neatly emblazoned on his hip bone was one word: **Captain.**

{+}

Bucky never told Steve about his second set of words.

Becca was the only one that knew, because he couldn’t read the words that had appeared behind his left ear on his sixteenth birthday.

“Well, what do they say, Becks?” Bucky had asked apprehensively.

Becca handed him the piece of paper she had painstakingly copied it onto, replicating the handwriting as best she could.

He stared at the words glaring up at him.

**“Cool arm, Dude!”**

“At least it’s a compliment,” said Becca as she leaned against his back, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. “It could be worse.”

Bucky snorted. “What could be worse than knowing you’re going to have to choose between two people you’re destined to be with?”

“There’s no rule that says you have to choose,” Becca said calmly.

“Always the voice of reason,” Bucky said fondly as he turned around to give his favorite sister a proper hug.

{+}

Although Becca tried to get him to change his mind, Bucky knew he had to hide the second mark. This led to the decision to grow out his hair.

And, as many would tell you, the long hair works for him.


	3. A Change and Coming Out

It’s not uncommon for a person’s words to change. After all, things happen to people that can’t always be explained. For example, one lady’s words changed when her soulmate was attacked and his vocal cords were damaged.

Steve’s words changed the day of his twentieth birthday. He was overseas, just back from a rescue mission when it happened.

It started as an itch, but grew into a fiery pain that had him almost falling over. Bucky caught his arm and sat him on the ground. Their team crowded around, blocking their Captain from the view of curious bystanders.

“What’s wrong?” Bucky asked worriedly. He’d never seen his friend like this when Steve was tiny and was beaten up daily, and definitely not since he had a growth spurt.

“My… words,” Steve croaked out, fumbling at his shirt with shaking hands.

His team’s eyes widened. They watched as a glow started to emanate from underneath Steve’s waistband. It started to migrate upward, Steve writhing from the pain. 

After a few long minutes, the glow faded, leaving Steve laying on the ground, utterly spent. Bucky helped him sit up while the team watched worriedly.

Steve pulled up the edge of his shirt, revealing, instead of bare skin like usual, black marks on his ribs. He kept pulling until his shirt was completely off, not caring that his team was standing right there.

Once they realised what had happened, the team turned their backs to him, silently keeping watch and steering away those who got too close.

Bucky sat close to his best friend, eyes transfixed on the words that now curled up Steve’s side.

“At least now you won’t have as hard a time of finding them,” Bucky said, slightly in awe. 

Steve nodded, running a finger over the words gently, and reading them over and over again.

 **“Captain, your mother is a saint,”** those words now said. 

“Well,” Steve chuckled. “I already knew that, Mr. Soulmate.”

{+}

Steve didn’t really know how he knew his soulmate was a man. Maybe it was the way the handwriting looked. It had a distinct male vibe to it.

He wouldn’t be angry if his soulmate turned out to be a woman, though. 

When Bucky had told him that people usually ended up with a soulmate of the gender they prefer, Steve had told him straight out that he didn’t care whether his was male or female.

He had expected Bucky to be angry that his best friend had pretty much admitted to liking men, but Bucky had just pulled him in for a hug and said, “Thanks for telling me.”

And those four words gave Steve the confidence to tell his mom that he was bisexual.

He just hadn’t predicted that Sarah Rogers would bake him a cake in the colors of the bisexual flag.

God, he loved his mother.


	4. Waiting Rooms and Angry Mama Rogers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love Sarah Rogers so much.

“Mr. Stark?”

Tony lifted his head from where it was resting against the wall. “Nurse Rogers, was it?”

The woman smiled at him from the entrance to the waiting room. “You can just call me Sarah.”

Tony smiled for the first time in over 24 hours, although it was shaky and disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared. “Okay, Sarah. Call me Tony.” 

She smiled kindly at him, then seemed to notice the bags under his eyes. “Have you been sleeping alright, dear?” she asked, walking over to him. She placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

“No, not really. You know, since my mom’s in here,” Tony said, gesturing to the hospital they were currently in.

“Well, I bet she’s just fine. How long have you been here?” asked Sarah, removing her hand from his head.

“Since I got the call Mom had a car accident.”

“And when was that?”

“Yesterday morning,” Tony admitted sheepishly. 

Sarah looked shocked and angry. “That long? And no one has come to tell you anything?” Tony shook his head. “Well, let’s change that, shall we?”

She marched off toward the nurses’ station, eyes burning and jaw set. Tony chuckled softly. He liked this woman. She had spunk.

{+}

“What do you mean, ‘She’s been able to have guests since yesterday afternoon?’ Did none of you check to see if there was any family in the waiting room?”

The other nurses shrunk back in the face of Sarah Rogers’ fury.

One of the braver nurses spoke up. “She was pretty rattled. We didn’t think she was up for visitors.”

“Oh, are you a psychiatrist now?” Sarah asked viciously.

“No, ma’am,” the nurse replied quietly.

Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose. “This better not happen again,” she told them before pulling up Maria Stark’s patient information.

She began to walk away, calling over her shoulder, “I’m going to go check on her and take _her son_ to see her.”

The nurses looked at each other, all thinking the same thing.

_“We screwed up, big time.”_


	5. Talk of Sleep and Tony's Near Heart Attack

“Hello, Mrs. Stark,” Sarah said as she walked into Maria’s room. “You’ll never guess who I found out in the waiting room.”

Maria looked up from her book just as Tony entered the room. “Hey, Mom,” he said, smiling softly, his eyes warm. He had always had a soft spot for his mother.

“Tony!” Maria’s face split into a huge smile and she held her arms out for a hug.

Tony went over and sat on the edge of the bed. He gave her a hug, carefully avoiding her bandages. He pulled back slightly and said, “How are you? No one has told me anything. If it wasn’t for Sarah over here, I wouldn’t have gotten to see you at all.”

“I’m okay. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. It was only a minor accident,” she said lightly, but the slightly haunted look in her eyes told a different story.

Tony pulled her back in for another hug. “It’s okay, Mom. I know you miss him,” he said softly.

Howard Stark had died a year ago in a car crash on his way to the airport. Maria was supposed to go with him on his trip, but had decided to stay behind to take care of the house. She was devastated when she heard the news of Howard’s death. Tony, on the other hand, was relieved. 

There were things about Howard that only Tony knew, but he didn’t dare tell his mother while his father was still alive. He wasn’t going to now, either. He knew his mother would be crushed if she ever found out.

“You look tired,” Tony commented after he pulled away from the hug. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

Maria laid down with an eyeroll and said, “I should be doing this to you. You look like hell.” 

Tony laughed and pulled the blankets up around her body. As Maria drifted off to sleep, he placed a kiss on her temple. “Sleep well,” he whispered.

“That’s sweet,” a warm voice behind him said.

Tony jumped up, heart racing. He spotted Sarah standing just inside the door. “Oh, I forgot you were here.” As his heart rate began to slow back down, with a smile he said, “Warn me next time. I have a heart condition.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said worriedly. When it became apparent that Tony wasn’t concerned, she gave him a stern look. “You should listen to your mother and get some rest. Do you want me to bring in another bed, or?”

“I can sleep on the couch,” Tony said, moving over to it.

“Are you sure?” Sarah asked. “It can’t be that comfortable.”

Tony chuckled, picking up the solitary pillow. “I’ve slept in less comfortable places than this. I mean, I’m an engineer. Leaving my workshop isn’t really an option sometimes.”

“At least let me get you some blankets,” Sarah said, brow furrowing. “It gets pretty cold in here at night.”

“Could you?” Tony asked hopefully. Sarah nodded, smiling kindly at him. 

As she left the room, over her shoulder, she said, “Go to sleep. That’s an order.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tony said jokingly as the door closed behind her.


	6. Enter Steve and Mother's Intuition

As Sarah was reaching up to grab a blanket from up high on a shelf in the storage closet, two arms wrapped around her from behind. She jumped and spun around. Once she saw who it was, she gave him her most motherly scowl.

“Steven Grant Rogers, do not sneak up on me like that!” she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips and glaring up at him.

“Sorry, Ma,” Steve said, smiling broadly. “Need some help there?” he asked, gesturing to the blanket she was trying to reach.

“Yes, please,” Sarah replied, and Steve grabbed it.

Sarah started to walk toward the cafeteria, her son trailing behind her, carrying the blanket. “Where are we going?” he asked.

“We’re going to go get some food for a patient’s son. He was stuck out in the waiting room for over 24 hours, and I don’t think he ate anything that whole time.”

“Which patient?” Steve asked curiously as they walked into the cafeteria.

“Maria Stark. The woman I was telling you about yesterday,” Sarah said, walking over to grab a sandwich from the rack.

“Oh, the lady who got into a car accident?” Steve asked, remembering the case his mother had mentioned in passing.

“Yes. She couldn’t sleep last night because it shook her up so much. Her husband died in a car crash and every time she drifted off to sleep, she had nightmares.” Sarah looked up at her son as she paid for the sandwich. “The nurses didn’t check to see if there was any family in the waiting room, so the poor boy had to sit out there worrying all night. I’m really glad that she has someone to stay with her now, and he seems like a very caring young man.”

“I’m glad,” Steve said, a bit confused. If his mother liked this guy, then he must be a good man, although Steve couldn’t figure out why Sarah was telling him all of this.

They arrived in front of a room, and Sarah said, “Here we are. I’m going to go in and wake him up. Wait here.”

“Why do you want me to wait?” Steve asked, even more confused than before.

Sarah tapped her temple and smiled mysteriously. “Mother’s intuition.” She took the blanket out of Steve’s arms and disappeared into the room.


	7. Soulmates and Sandwiches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally meet!

“Tony. Tony, wake up.”

Tony opened his eyes to see Sarah leaning over him. “Oh, hi,” he said groggily.

“Hi,” Sarah replied as Tony sat up, rubbing his eyes. She sat the blanket and sandwich next to him on the couch.

“Who’s Mr. Hottie out there?” Tony asked, nodding to the window that Steve was standing by. He was standing with perfect posture, eyes straight ahead. “And why does he look like a drill sergeant is about to yell at him?”

“That’s my son,” Sarah said, chuckling. “And he was in the military, so he always looks like that when he’s not paying attention.”

“What’s his rank?” Tony asked curiously, picking up the sandwich and starting to unwrap it. He always asked since Rhodey liked meeting new people. And it was easier to look them up that way.

“He’s a Captain,” Sarah replied.

“Captain?” Tony asked, shocked. He looked closer at the man outside the window. “He seems way too young to be a Captain.”

“He’s the youngest one in a long time.” Sarah waved at Steve, motioning for him to come in.

Tony nodded and took a bite of his sandwich. His eyes widened. “This is so good!” he said.

“It’s my favorite kind,” Sarah said. “I thought you might like it.”

Steve came through the door and took in the bags under the other man’s big brown eyes and how he was curled up in the corner of the couch, munching on his sandwich. 

_“He’s adorable,”_ Steve thought.

“Steve, this is Tony. Tony, this is Steve,” Sarah said, then stepped out of the way, a knowing smile on her face.

Steve smiled and nodded to the other man, saying, **“Mr. Stark.”**

Tony, with his mouth full of sandwich, said, **“Captain, your mother is a saint.”**

Steve’s eyes widened, and his hand pressed up against his side. He walked closer to Tony, stopping right in front of him.

“What are you-” Tony asked, swallowing his mouthful and putting the rest of the sandwich down.

Sarah silently slipped out of the room as Steve started to pull his shirt off.

“Whoa, there, big guy,” Tony said, taken aback. “I know I’m wickedly handsome, but aren’t you moving a bit fast?”

Steve rolled his eyes as he pulled his shirt off all the way. Tony’s eyes fell on the words that swirled up Steve’s side.

Tony gasped quietly and rolled his sleeve up, revealing the words on the inside of his elbow, tears welling up in his eyes as he did.

“Hey, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” Steve asked worriedly, sinking down to his knees and placing his hand on Tony’s cheek.

Tony’s hand came up to cover the one on his cheek as he said, “I had almost given up on finding you.” He sniffled. “A lot of people call me ‘Mr. Stark,’ you know.”

Steve’s hand slid from Tony’s cheek to the back of his neck as Tony rested his head on Steve’s shoulder. A wave of warmth and comfort washed over them both and they sank into each other, Steve pulling Tony closer, and Tony burying his face in Steve’s neck.

The two sat like that for a few minutes before a voice said, “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but can you please explain what is going on?”

Tony whipped his head up. “Hi, Mom,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “Guess what?”

“What?” Maria asked dryly, humor dancing in her eyes.

“I found my soulmate.”

Steve gave a small wave and smiled shyly. “Hello, ma’am.”


	8. Tony's Friends and Two Sets of Words Each

Steve hadn’t been expecting to meet Tony’s friends this soon, but here they were.

“You don’t have to come in,” Tony told him as they stood outside an old-fashioned diner. “They’ll understand.”

Steve shook his head. “You already told them I would come, and I want to meet them,” he said. 

“Alright then,” replied Tony hesitantly. “Fair warning, they can be a bit… loud.” He opened the door and the two men stepped inside.

A man with blonde hair waved them over to the corner booth excitedly. “Stark! Get over here!”

“Barton!” Tony exclaimed. “I didn’t know you’d be here!” 

The other man laughed and pulled him into a hug. “I didn’t think so either, but I managed to shift around some lessons.” Steve could just make out the edge of the man’s words peeking out from underneath the neckline of his shirt.

Tony turned to him and said, “Steve, this is Clint Barton. Clint, this is Steve Rogers.”

“What are we, chopped liver?”

Tony turned to the rest of the people at the table. “Oh, alright, you big baby. This is Steve, everyone. Steve, the baby is Sam Wilson, the one in the corner is Bruce Banner, the gorgeous lady is Pepper Potts, and the platypus is James Rhodes.”

“Platypus? Really, Tony?”

“Oh come on, Rhodey-bear,” Tony teased, plopping down into his lap. “Don’t be a sourpuss.”

“I’m not a sourpuss,” Rhodey said with a scowl.

“You really are,” said Clint from under Sam’s arm.

“Name one time.”

“I can name a lot more than one.”

“Stop fighting and let Steve sit down,” Pepper scolded. Both men fell silent and Rhodey scooted closer to Pepper to make room. When Steve sat down, Tony squirmed out of Rhodey’s arms and into Steve’s lap. Steve’s eyes widened in surprise, but didn’t protest.

“I don’t think you know how happy I am to not be the only couple in the group anymore,” Clint said as he leaned farther into Sam.

“And why is that?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Now we won’t get yelled at for PDA,” Sam said with a smile.

“Oh, we’ll still yell at you,” Rhodey said. “I don’t wanna see that shit.”

Bruce raised his hand. “I don’t either.”

“So you two are soulmates?” Steve asked Clint and Sam, not-so-subtly changing the subject.

Sam nodded and held up his left arm, which had been around Clint’s shoulders, revealing the words on his forearm. **“You’re the one that has the falcon, right?”** it read.

“I would show you mine, but that would include taking my shirt off, and I don’t want to be arrested for public indecency again,” Clint said.

Steve’s brows drew together in confusion. “Wait, what about that one?” he asked, pointing to the words that peeked out from under the neckline of Clint’s t-shirt.

“Nope. This,” Clint touched the words, “is my second one.”

“You have two sets of words?” Steve asked, intrigued.

Clint nodded. “Sam does, too.”

Sam grinned and pulled his right arm out from under the table, turning his wrist so Steve could see the words. **“An honor? Geez, what’s he been saying about me?”**

 _“An honor?”_ Steve repeated in his mind. _“Bucky has that in his too.”_ His eyes widened slightly. _“Oh my god.”_

“So. Steve,” Pepper said, leaning forward to place her elbows on the table and rest her chin on her hands. “Since he’s already thrown you to the wolves, do you have any family or friends for Tony to meet?”

“Well, he’s already met my mom.”

“Yup,” Tony said. “She threatened the other nurses to let me see my mom.”

Everyone but Steve stared at him. “Really?” 

“Yeah. It was awesome.”

There were a few moments of silence before Pepper said, “Is there anyone else, Steve?”

“I have a couple of friends that I would like Tony to meet,” Steve replied thoughtfully. “But probably the most important would be my best friend.” Steve thought about it for a second before saying, “He’s more like my brother, actually.”

“I didn’t know that,” Tony said. “What’s he like?”

Steve glanced at Sam. “Let me tell you all a bit about Bucky Barnes.”


	9. Hugs and Tears

Steve knocked on Bucky’s door, Tony by his side. “You sure you want me here?” Tony asked, swinging their joined hands between them. “I mean, will he even like me?”

“He’ll love you,” Steve replied, just before Bucky opened the door.

“Hey, Stevie,” Bucky said, smiling at his friend. “On time as usual.” His gaze fell on Tony. “And who is this?” he asked, grinning slyly.

“I’ll tell you inside,” Steve said, brushing past him and dragging a reluctant Tony into the apartment.

Steve stopped in front of the couch, took Tony by the shoulders, and spun him around to face Bucky. With a mischievous smile, he said, “Buck, this is Tony, my soulmate.”

Bucky’s eyes lit up and a wide grin split his face as he lunged forward and scooped Tony up into a bear hug. After a long moment, he released Tony to bring Steve in for a hug instead. 

“It’s about damn time,” Bucky said, still grinning. “I thought you’d never find him.”

“Never mind that,” Tony said, eyes zeroing in on Bucky’s left arm. “Who in the hell gave you that piece of crap?”

Bucky looked down at his prosthetic in confusion. “Um, the VA?”

“Nope. I refuse.” Tony grabbed his real arm and dragged him out of the apartment. “No family of mine is going to get shitty tech.”

{+}

“Why didn’t I realise you were that Tony Stark?” Steve asked as he sat in Tony’s workshop.

Tony shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t want you to know?” he replied distractedly, arms deep in a box of scraps.

Steve stepped closer to Tony and plastered himself against the other man’s back like he had been wanting to do for the past few hours. Bucky had left to go back to his apartment a few minutes ago, leaving Tony and Steve alone.

“I don’t mind you not telling me,” Steve said, pressing a kiss to the back of Tony’s neck. “I knew you were brilliant already. This just reinforces it.”

Tony leaned back against him briefly and said, “You charmer.” He turned around and looped his arms around Steve’s neck. “Come here.”

{+}

“So Steve,” Bucky said with a grin. “Tell me everything.”

“You’re such a gossip,” Steve said, pushing him away. 

“Oh, c’mon, Stevie,” Bucky whined, draping himself over Steve’s lap. “I wanna know about your new beau.” He paused for a moment. “Hey, that rhymed.”

“I’m not telling you anything,” Steve said firmly. His words lost their authority when he started braiding Bucky’s hair. He had done this many times before, but this time, his eyes caught on a black mark behind Bucky’s ear.

Steve moved Bucky’s hair aside. His eyes widened when he realised what it was. “Buck? What’s this?”

Bucky stiffened. “You saw that, huh?” he said, voice wavering.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Steve asked, slightly hurt.

“I didn’t know how,” Bucky replied, averting his eyes. “And I thought…”

“Thought what?” 

“I thought that if I admitted I had two sets of words, it would be real.” Bucky’s eyes filled up with tears. “After all, who would want the guy with PTSD and only one arm?”

Steve pulled Bucky up so he could hug him properly. “You know, I would date a war vet with understandable issues who lost a limb saving members of his unit,” Steve said matter-of-factly. “That is,” he continued. “If that guy wasn’t my brother.”

Bucky didn’t respond, just tightened his grip on Steve as tears flowed down his face.


	10. More Hugs and Meeting Soulmates

“It’s really nice of you to let us come,” Steve said as he and Bucky stepped through Tony’s door.

“Why wouldn’t I have?” Tony asked, pressing a kiss to Steve’s cheek.

“It’s still nice,” Steve replied as Tony gave Bucky a hug. Bucky tensed up for a second and threw a surprised glance at Steve. Steve just smiled at him and said, “Just accept it, Buck. He won’t let you go until you do.”

Bucky wrapped his arms around Tony and hugged him back. Tony smiled up at him before pulling away and bouncing into the living room. 

Steve and Bucky followed him and watched as he flopped into Rhodey’s lap. Bucky nudged Steve. “Who’s that guy?” he asked suspiciously.

Steve rolled his eyes. “That’s James Rhodes, Tony’s best friend.” He glanced over Bucky’s shoulder. “Incoming.”

Sam came up behind them and clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s good to see you again, man,” he said. He turned to Bucky and smiled, holding a hand out. **“So, you’re the famous Bucky Barnes. Steve’s told me about you. It’s an honor.”**

Bucky snorted, grabbing his hand and shaking it. **“An honor? Geez, what’s he been saying about me?”**

Both men froze and stared at each other, still holding hands.

“I knew it!” Steve said triumphantly, holding his arms in the air.

Bucky scowled at him. “Did you set me up?”

Steve grinned. “Of course I did. Who do you take me for?”

Bucky tackled Steve to the ground, and the two grappled with each other, Sam laughing in the background.

A new voice piped up, stopping Bucky in his tracks. **“Cool arm, Dude!”**

Steve’s eyes widened and Bucky’s jaw dropped open. It couldn’t be possible. He couldn’t have met both his soulmates in one day.

Bucky looked up at the man that had spoken and his mouth went dry. _“Come on, think man,”_ he told himself. _“Think of something cool to say!”_

**“You have nice arms, too.”**

_“Stupid, stupid, stupid!”_


	11. Cuddles and Movies

Bucky wasn’t entirely sure how he got into this situation, but he wasn’t complaining.

He was sitting between Clint and Sam, watching a movie. Well, more like Bucky was being smothered by Clint and Sam had an arm around his shoulders, petting Clint’s hair.

“You three look comfy,” Tony teased, coming into the room with a bowl of popcorn. He sat down in Steve’s lap and offered him some popcorn.

“I am,” Clint said, snuggling into Bucky’s chest.

Sam chuckled, leaning in to whisper, “I hope you’re ready to have Clint on you all the time.”

“He does this a lot?” Bucky whispered back.

“Oh, yeah.” Sam smiled down at Clint fondly. “He’s really cuddly.”

Bucky pulled Clint closer and wrapped both arms around his midsection. “Good. So am I.”

Rhodey reached over to steal some popcorn from Tony’s bowl, nearly falling out of his chair onto Pepper, who was lounging on the floor with Bruce. “Watch it, Colonel Clumsy,” Tony said, holding the bowl above his head. “You’ll spill my popcorn.”

“Thanks, Tony,” Pepper said as she pushed Rhodey’s leg away. “Worry about your food instead of my face.”

Tony grinned. “But Pep, you could use a kick to the face to bring your otherworldly beauty down to a normal human level.” Pepper shook her head fondly, turning back to the movie.

Bucky leaned into Sam’s side, watching Tony and Rhodey bicker good-naturedly. “These are good people,” he said quietly.

Clint turned around so he could throw his legs over Sam’s lap and rest his head on Bucky’s shoulder. “They are,” he agreed.

{+}

“Can I see them?” Bucky asked timidly after everyone else had already retreated to Tony’s guest rooms to sleep.

Clint and Sam shared a glance and a smile before Clint whipped his shirt off in one fluid motion.

“Geez, warn a guy, would you” Bucky said before reaching out to touch the words on Clint’s collarbone. “ **You have nice arms, too.** I still can’t believe _that_ is what I said to you.”

“I like them,” Clint said, smiling at him.

Bucky tapped the words over Clint’s heart. “What’s the story behind this?”

“It’s actually really funny,” Clint said.

Sam groaned, dropping his head onto Bucky’s shoulder. “You getting arrested the first time we met is not funny,” he said, his voice slightly muffled.

Bucky grinned. “Now this I’ve got to hear.”


	12. Soulmates and Streakers

_“You getting arrested the first time we met is not funny.”_

_Bucky grinned. “Now this I’ve got to hear.”_

***

Sam stood in the middle of a field, watching Redwing soar overhead.

He whistled and held up his arm. Redwing sped down and landed lightly. Sam grinned and said, “Good girl.” He gave her a piece of meat before hooking the jess that hung around Redwing’s ankle to his gauntlet.

As he walked back to the Bird Center, he could swear he could feel someone’s eyes on him.

***

Sam was lounging on a bench in Central Park, resting before continuing his morning run. A man with sandy blonde hair sat down next to him.

 **“You’re the one with the falcon, right?”** the man asked, peering at him from over his purple tinted sunglasses. “I was watching you when you were out in that field.”

Sam stared at the man, rubbing the words on his left forearm.

“Hello?” The man waved his hand in Sam’s face. “Anyone in there?”

**“Her name is Redwing.”**

It was the man’s turn to stare. “What?”

“My falcon. Her name is Redwing.”

The man stared, frozen, for a moment before whipping his shirt off. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Sam exclaimed. “I have a three date rule.”

“Sorry, but look!” The man pointed to the words over his heart.

Sam glanced at them quickly, already knowing what they said, but his eyes were drawn to the words on his collarbone. “You have two sets, too?” he asked.

The man grinned. “You have two?”

Sam was about to roll his sleeves up when a police officer jogged up to them and said, “You’re going to have to come with me, sir.”

“What?” Sam’s soulmate asked, a genuinely confused look on his face.

The young officer said, “Please come with me. I don’t want to have to take you in forcefully.”

“Take me in for what?” 

The officer sighed and pulled his cuffs out. “Public Indecency. Please turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

Sam’s soulmate did, still absolutely confused. The officer cuffed him and started to lead him away, but stopped when another officer came running up to him.

“That’s not him,” the second officer said, slightly out of breath. “The streaker went running toward the gate.”

Completely mortified, the first officer unlocked the handcuffs and stepped away. “I am so sorry,” he said. “I just saw you without a shirt, and I thought-”

“It’s okay, man,” Sam’s soulmate assured him. “This will make a good story.”

“Again, I’m so sorry,” the officer said. “‘I should-” He turned and ran away.

Sam watched him go for a few minutes before saying, “Well that was interesting.”

“You’re not the one that was arrested,” Sam’s soulmate said. He held out his hand. “I’m Clint.”

Taking his hand, Sam replied, “Hello soulmate. I’m Sam.”


End file.
